GPSNR Policy Framework

Of the 22 applicants, one is from Brazil, four from Côte d’Ivoire, two from Ghana, five are from Indonesia, four from Thailand and six are from Vietnam.

The 2nd General Assembly on 31 March 2020 will see the proposal of a new membership category, ‘Smallholder Producers’. Should the voting on this resolution pass, smallholders will officially find their voice in global efforts to ensure a socially, economically and environmentally sound natural rubber supply chain.

Thanks to sustained funding from Partnerships for Forests (P4F), we will be able to invite the geographically diverse group of smallholders to Singapore to attend their first General Assembly, with the view to onboard them and to have smallholder producers represented in the Executive Committee via the voting of nominated individuals.

As it is important for the smallholders to understand what is required of them at the General Assembly and as an Executive Committee member, the Working Group will be scheduling several sessions, both remote and on-site, to thoroughly brief the smallholders on GPSNR’s Statutes and Code of Conduct. The smallholders will also have the opportunity to get acquainted with one another in the two days prior to the General Assembly.

In preparation for this, the appointed Country Champions of the Working Group will be assisting the smallholders in travel logistics and other administrative matters. The Working Group is also looking into engaging professional translation services at the General Assembly to emphasize impartiality.

GPSNR’s Executive Committee comprises Ordinary Member representatives of each membership category, according to the newly approved allocation proposed in the resolution for a standalone category for natural rubber smallholder producers. Each membership category is allocated a total of three seats in the Executive Committee, with representatives chosen by elections within the category.

The Executive Committee serves as a center for overarching ideas of the Platform, and Executive Committee members bear the responsibility of raising awareness of emerging issues to their respective categories, initiating consultation sessions, and encouraging active participation in GPSNR’s Working Groups and activities.

The members of the second GPSNR Executive Committee, according to category, are as follows:

Producers, Processors & Traders

SIPH – represented by Marc Genot (Managing Director, Societe Africaine des  Plantations  d’Heveas SA)

Socfin – represented by Philippe De Groote (Head of Agronomy – Rubber)

Southland Global – represented by Tim Leong (Associate Director)

Tire Makers and Other Natural Rubber Product Makers

Bridgestone Corporation – represented by Andy Thompson (Global Director, Sustainability Strategy, Policy & Integration) 

Continental AG – represented by Claus Petschick (Head of Sustainability)

Michelin – represented by Segsarn Trai-Ukos (Managing Director, Société des Matières Premières Tropicales Pte Ltd)

Car Makers, Other Downstream Users, and Financial Institutions

BMW Group – represented by Vanessa Buchberger (Purchasing and Supplier Network, Sustainability, Innovation Management, Cooperations)

Civil Society

HCV Resource Network – represented by Arie Soetjiadi (SEA Representative)

Mighty Earth – represented by Margaret Kran-Annexstein (Campaign Director)

WWF – represented by Amy Smith (Deputy Director, Forest Sector Transformation)

Smallholder Producers

Baroan Roland – Côte d’Ivoire

Dang Quoc Thong – Vietnam 

Soontorn Rakrong – Thailand

The Executive Committee holds a monthly conference call to discuss proposals put forth by the Working Groups, and other issues pertinent to the Platform.